


don't stop me now

by justdk



Series: keep it together [2]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Czernsgiving, Gen, POV Ronan Lynch, Road Trips, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:34:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21655330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdk/pseuds/justdk
Summary: Noah crashes Ronan's late night getaway and the two embark on an impromptu road trip
Relationships: Noah Czerny & Ronan Lynch
Series: keep it together [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560091
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17
Collections: Czernsgiving 2019 A Noah Week





	don't stop me now

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Czernsgiving Day 2: Go Fast
> 
> this was just an excuse for me to plug some of my favorite songs circa 2005 (or earlier)

Ronan snuck past Gansey – curled up on his side and sound asleep, the covers drawn up to his chin and his forehead furrowed – and eased the door to Monmouth Manufacturing open.

He wasn’t taking Gansey’s car, even if it was the newly dreamed version and one that he could replicate if he needed to. He wasn’t even going out to race with what remained of Kavinsky’s crew. He just needed to be _out_ and _away_. He told himself that he wouldn’t drive by St. Agnes to see if Parrish was still awake but he probably would. 

The leather of the Mercedes’ seats was still hot from the summer sun, the interior baking and giving off that peculiar smell that came with cars of a certain age and pedigree. It made Ronan feel nostalgic and made him miss his dad and his home, even though that’s where he was headed now. He was going home.

Ronan was backing onto the street when the radio cut on, an old song blaring and startling Ronan so badly that he almost stalled.

“The fuck—” Ronan’s fingers gripped the steering wheel as a cool current of air brushed the nape of his neck. He shivered and glared into the dark. “Noah!”

Noah cackled and then there he was – hovering over the passenger seat, legs crossed under him, hands gripping his shins as he tilted his head back and laughed again.

“Your face!” Noah wheezed. Tears glimmered in the corners of his eyes. “Did you pee your pants? It definitely looked like you did.”

Ronan shifted in his seat, his heart thudding. “No, I did not,” he snarled. He put the car in gear and drove towards the mountains. “What the fuck, man,” he complained. “And what is this shit? Sounds like what they play at the old folks sports bar down the way from Nino’s.” 

Noah nodded his head to the music, mouthing the lyrics before bursting out “ _There’s a bad moon on the rise!”_ His grin was infectious and even though he didn’t mean to Ronan found himself grinning. “When I was a kid,” Noah said, sounding slightly breathless with amusement, “my dad would change the lyrics, especially when we were on these long road trips and I had to pee so bad. He’d sing _there’s a bathroom on the right_ and then laugh until I was about ready to piss myself from laughing _and_ actually really needing to piss.”

“Sounds like a great time,” Ronan said as sarcastically as possible.

Noah’s smile slipped a little, his outline fading. “Yeah, it really was,” he said quietly. He leaned back in the seat and stuck his arm out the window, his palm flattened out and surfing over invisible waves. “We should go on a road trip.”

That would be something. For all the time that Ronan had spent with Noah, Gansey, Adam – and lately, Blue – they’d never done a proper road trip. He got a feeling, looking at the lost, wistful expression on Noah’s face, that they weren’t likely to go on one any time song.

“What the hell,” Ronan muttered, “let’s go.”

“Huh?” Noah looked up, his messy hair hanging over his smudged cheek. His eyes were wide and wondering.

“Let’s go. Road trip. You and me. Now.”

“Holy smokes for real?” Noah grabbed onto Ronan’s shoulder, shaking him, his cold fingers sending gooseflesh crawling over Ronan’s skin. 

“Yes! For real!” Ronan sounded irritated but he wasn’t. His heart was pounding for some reason as the idea took form. _A midnight road trip with Noah. Why the hell not._

“Oh God, okay, well, I get to pick the music,” Noah insisted. “And we need snacks! You need snacks and I can watch you eat them so win-win. Plus you’re almost out of gas.”

Ronan didn’t know how far they could get in one night but he followed Noah’s instructions and pulled up at the gas station that was located near the highway. It was the only one in Henrietta that was open 24/7. Ronan filled the tank and followed Noah into the station. Noah was humming under his breath and happily scanning all of the shelves, handing various items to Ronan. By the time they made it to the counter Ronan had a new air freshener shaped like a marijuana leaf that purportedly smelled like pina colada, a Jesus bobble head, teriyaki Slim Jims, salt and vinegar chips, a Vanilla Coke, and a huge blue raspberry Slushie. At the last minute Noah added a pack of condoms and grinned cheekily at the unimpressed cashier while Ronan blushed furiously and tried to put them back.

“What the hell, Noah,” Ronan grumbled under his breath.

“When you need them you’ll be thankful you have them,” Noah said with trademark mysterious wisdom. Ronan shook his head and handed over a credit card and accepted a plastic bag with their loot.

The parking lot was empty and the bright lights washed Noah out even more. He looked unreal and fey, dancing around the Mercedes and singing/yelling “AM I MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR YET? I’VE BEEN DYING TO TELL YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT TO HEAR CAUSE THAT’S JUST WHO I AM THIS WEEK” The car radio started playing the song and Ronan was left wondering if it was some cosmic chance or further evidence of Noah’s uncanniness.

“Oh my God I love his song!” Noah shouted. He collapsed into the front seat and continued thrashing around in a way that Ronan thought might be called ‘moshing.’ “Did I ever tell you I saw them – Fall Out Boy – on the Vans Warped Tour? IT WAS SICK. Oh my God, so much fun! I went with some of the local guys up to DC and we stayed all weekend with a friend of a friend. I met this super awesome chick named Cassidy. She had like Avril Lavigne hair and crazy dark eyeliner and a lip piercing. We made out and smoked some weed. Then she introduced me to her older brother Mitch and he and I made out.” Noah’s smile was so huge, his energy so bright, that it took Ronan’s breath away. “It was _amazing_. Seriously one of the best weekends _ever_.”

“You—” Ronan didn’t even know where to begin. Quiet, scared, slouchy Noah didn’t seem the type to go to huge concerts and make out with strangers. _His_ Noah haunted the corners of Aglionby, woke Ronan from nightmares and tried to keep him from spinning out of control. This Noah was like a glow stick being waved about by a manic pixie dream child at a Technicolor rave. “That sounds like a good time,” he finally said.

“It was.” Noah settled down and the music shifted to something equally happy and upbeat if a little more calm. The lyrics were about an island in the sun. Noah bobbed his head and dug through the plastic bag. He pulled out the air freshener and hung it from the rearview mirror. The scent was potent and vaguely tropical. Ronan didn’t like it but left it up to please Noah. “What do you think?” Noah asked.

“If I get pulled over you need to stash that under your seat. And no vanishing! The last cop thought I was high because I mentioned you but you weren’t there.”

“Cops,” Noah sneered. “Always harshing my good times.”

“Ain’t that just the way.” Ronan took an enormous drink of the Slurpie, the intense cold hitting his system like one of Kavinsky’s wonder drugs. He hissed in pain and Noah leaned over, rubbing his cold thumbs against Ronan’s temples, which didn’t help at all. Ronan swore and Noah laughed and the songs melted one into another, rock and some hip-hop, songs that Ronan only had a hazy familiarity with. Each song reminded Noah of some story and time passed like in a dream as Noah recounted and relived some of his best moments. They drove towards the mountains, onto back roads that curled tightly around the curves of the mountains, the Mercedes screaming around turns and Noah screaming just as loudly, his hands thrown up like he was on a roller coaster.

They made it to the tops of the mountains and found a road that ran along the ridge, the valley spread out below them. Noah hung out the window, arms stretched wide like he could embrace the town, the sky, the entire world. The music was louder than ever and Noah turned to Ronan, his eyes shining, and shouted “GO FAST!”

Ronan didn’t need any extra encouragement. He stomped on the gas and shifted the gears, pushing the Mercedes faster and faster while Noah wailed “I SAID PLEASE DON’T SLOW ME DOWN IF I’M GOING TOO FAST… YEAH THE NIGHT’S NOT OVER, YOU’RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH” 

It wasn’t the music Ronan listened to when he wanted to race but it got the job done and he was grinning as hard as Noah as he threw the car into the turns, adrenaline singing in his veins. It was dangerous, reckless, _a bad idea_ , and Ronan loved every second of it.

As if picking up on Ronan’s thoughts, the radio changed and started playing something by The Glitch Mob. It was too perfect. Ronan tossed his head back and howled, Noah joining in with enthusiastic abandon. They raced through the dark, silent trees towards the moon and the stars.

When they eventually made it back to Monmouth Manufacturing the sun was tipping over the horizon and Ronan was exhausted and pleased. Noah had managed to stay with him for the entire trip and was now slumped down in his seat, a dreamy look in his eyes, humming to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

“Hey, Ronan?” Noah asked, voice quiet.

“Hey, Noah?” Ronan replied. He put the car in park and turned the engine off but kept the radio on. Freddie Mercury’s voice crooned through the speakers.

“You know how I was talking about all those good times I had when I was alive?” Ronan nodded. “Well,” Noah swallowed hard, “this was the best time, Ronan. This was the road trip I’ve always wanted.”

Ronan’s throat felt thick and he had to blink several times before answering. His voice sounded hoarse when he said, “Yeah, man, me too.” He ruffled his hand through Noah’s wispy hair just as his friend melted from the seat, vanishing into the air. “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> song list: Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sugar, We’re Going Down by Fall Out Boy, Island in the Sun by Weezer, Reptila by The Strokes, Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen
> 
> you can find me on tumblr @dkafterdark


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